Salad Dressing Line-Up

When eating a salad, it's the dressing that's the show stopper!  If it's a midweek salad for lunch or for a special occasion, you can feel great about how you're topping all those nutrient rich, healthy vegetables. Keeping base ingredients on hand and adding a few other ingredients will make this a less daunting task.

High quality fats-
Olive oil
Avocado mayonnaise
Full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can)

Acids-
Fresh lemons to juice
Red wine vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (choose the raw with the "mother")
Balsamic vinegar

Add ins-
Honey
Spices
Mustard

Here are four Paleo style dressing recipes to appeal to a variety of preferences.

First up is this Honey Mustard dressing recipe.
  
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use avocado mayo)  
1/4 cup light olive oil 
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey 
2 tablespoons mustard 
1 teaspoon onion powder  
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use pink Himalayan)

Place all ingredients in a blender and whirl briefly to blend thoroughly.  Alternately, you can place all ingredients in a mason jar, use an immersion blender or place the lid on and shake vigorously until the the honey dissolves and blends in.

Next up is my hubby's favorite, Balsamic Vinaigrette.  This is a perfect dressing for salads that include berries.  I always double the original recipe to make a whole quart.

1/3 apple cider vinegar

1/3 balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of water 

1 1/3 cup of olive oil  (I use extra virgin)

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon oregano 

1 teaspoon of salt  (I use pink Himalayan salt)

1/4 cup of honey

Mix dry ingredients (seasonings)  in a small bowl.  Add honey, water, vinegar and olive oil and whisk until all ingredients are fully combined.  Pour the balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing into a glass jar for storage.  Alternately, blend all ingredients other than oil in a blender.  Then pour oil through the lid in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.

Here's a French Dressing recipe that is not only free of anything French but it's free of refined sugars, artificial colors and common allergens.

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons coconut aminos   

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon molasses (optional)

pinch of cloves (I use one whole clove in my Vitamix)

Combine all ingredients in a blender until very smooth.

Lastly is the ever popular Ranch dressing.  This ranch dressing recipe is not only Paleo, but Whole 30 complaint also!  This is great for dipping fresh veggies in too.

1 egg

1 cup light olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk, stirred

1 handful fresh herb of choice or 3 tablespoons dried parsley (I also add a 1/2-1 tsp dill)

Blend with an immersion blender in a wide mouth mason jar for approximately one minute. Don't start incorporating herbs until the last 15 seconds or it will turn your ranch green. Store in the fridge up to one week, if you still have any left!  Alternately, combine all ingredients but the oil in a blender than add oil through the lid in a slow steady stream to emulsify.